Neptune spins into its annual retrograde, in Aries from July 4 to October 22—then in Pisces until December 10. When it backs through fiery Aries it’ll be the first time in our lifetimes! Here is your horoscope for the Neptune retrograde in Aries cycle.
Peel back the layers of your psyche! Numinous Neptune slips into its annual retrograde on July 4. For the first time since 1875, the backspin begin in Aries, adding a new layer of self-discovery to the equation. This historic Neptune in Aries transit began in March 30, starting a 15-year transit that lasts until 2039.
Neptune spins back through Aries until October 22. Then, it shifts to more familiar retrograde territory, its home sign of Pisces. The dreamy planet remains retrograde until December 10, then turns direct for one final lap through the Fish’s seas. On January 26, 2026, the Neptune in Pisces transit officially ends, wrapping up a cycle that’s been bringing serious woo to the world since 2011.
While you may be familiar with how Neptune retrograde in Pisces deepens your contemplation, Neptune retrograde in Aries will teach us to add a sense of urgency around soul-searching and self-care.
What to expect during Neptune retrograde 2025
Neptune retrograde in Aries: July 4 to October 22
During this part of the retrograde that begins July 4, confront issues around identity, self-assertion and how you wield your personal power. You may address impulsive behaviors or reactions that have been masking deeper wounds. While Neptune’s vibe is internal, Aries is active. Pair physical movement with your inner work and you may get groundbreaking results. Think: somatic therapy, mantra-based movement, yoga and breathwork.
Neptune retrograde in Pisces: October 22 to December 10
Life feels like a giant reflecting pool starting October 22, as soothsayer Neptune turns retrograde in its home sign of Pisces. Prepare to wade into your subconscious until the oceanic planet resumes forward motion on December 10. Hypnotherapy, medicine ceremonies and energy work may help you tap the farthest reaches of your subconscious. Keep an eye out for energy vampires and codependent dynamics during this boundary-blurring phase through Pisces.
This will be Neptune’s last retrograde lap through Pisces in our lifetimes. You may find yourself craving closure on some longstanding issues. If that can’t happen through conversation, you may have to step away from situations that keep pulling you into self-defeating patterns.
How Neptune retrograde rolls back fog on denial, distraction and delusion
Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusions, takes 165 years to complete a visit to all 12 signs of the zodiac. The hazy blue planet hangs out in each zodiac sign for 14-15 years. Neptune turns retrograde every year for five months.
When Neptune’s in reverse, find time to retreat from the stress of the everyday world. But opt for healthy modalities! Neptune is the planet of escape—and escapism. There’s a danger of falling back into a destructive habit or lapsing into old behaviors. The best use of Neptune retrograde (and direct!)? Make mindfulness your M.O. This is a powerful time to get acquainted with every part of yourself, even the ones that feel “out of control.”
A great read for Neptune retrograde in Aries is Susan Anderson’s Taming Your Outer Child: Overcoming Self-Sabotage and Healing from Abandonment. We all have a part of ourselves that acts out in the face of hurt feelings. In Anderson’s model, this is the outer child—the bratty, misbehaving kid that lives in us—and is different that the inner child. Grab your journal and get ready to facilitate a dialogue between these two inner children and your adult self. Fascinating, and perfectly timed for the feisty energy of the Neptune retrograde in Aries transit!
Themes that can arise during Neptune retrograde in Aries:
- Dreams: What you fantasize about; what inspires you daily
- Healing: How you process ancestral and childhood trauma
- Subconscious: What moves you on a subconscious level (from music to meditation)
- Boundaries: Where you’re fluid with boundaries/where you feel hemmed in or stuck
- Illusion: Where you’re gullible and naive or unable to see things for what they are
- Addiction: Where you struggle to say no or set limits, spiral into self-destruction
- Sacrifice: Where you give up too much for others and play the victim
- Glamor: Where you create a magical spin that enchants the world
- Arts: What forms of creativity you’re capable of
- Compassion: Who you’re here to help and champion
Riding shotgun to Neptune retrograde in Aries: Saturn and Chiron
Beep, beep beep—while Neptune retrogrades Aries from July 4 to October 22, two other planets flip back in the same sign: Stabilizing Saturn (July 13 to September 1) and healer-feeler Chiron (July 30 to January 2, 2026).
While Neptune, Saturn and Chiron share a reverse commute this year, you’ll get a triple dose of retrograde energy that will be at odds because:
• Boundary-hound Saturn likes firm plans, solid schedules and reality checks.
• Boundary-dissolving Neptune rules the realm of fantasy, fluidity and imagination.
• And healing asteroid Chiron wants you to do some soul-searching.
While Neptune and Saturn are in reverse, we’ll all need to be time travelers, moving through what the Greeks called chronos and kairos time. “Chronos” (as in chronological) is a system that can be measured by the clock and the cycles of the moon. Fun fact: In Roman lore, Saturn is named Kronos, so yes, this is the domain, the ringed planet rules. “Kairos” is the liminal flow state that occurs when we get so absorbed in what we’re doing that we lose track of minutes—hours even. Dreamy Neptune brings us fully into this time zone.
While Neptune and Saturn are retrograde in Aries, take a closer look at how you assert your ambitions, personal power and leadership. You might reevaluate your personal brand. A solo project could hit a speedbump, or you could intentionally slow down your timeline for quality’s sake, or to have the space to daydream new ideas.
When Chiron joins the retrograde party: The transformative asteroid is teaching us all lessons in self-empowerment and the constructive use of anger. If you’ve been feeling silenced, thwarted or resentful, this retrograde period provides an important window for introspection.
Your Neptune retrograde horoscope
Below is your sign’s horoscope for the Neptune retrograde in Aries, July 4 to September 22 (and then Pisces until December 10). You can read for your Sun sign or your rising sign (ascendant).
Aries (Mar 20-Apr 19) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Mystical Neptune turns retrograde in Aries on July 4, opening you up to dreamier dimensions than even your imaginative sign thought possible. From now through December 10, neglected parts of your personality—and unresolved past chapters—are up for soulful review. Your identity may shift as you embrace hidden layers of yourself. Step away from long-time “comfort zones” in the name of your own evolution. You’ll have time to process any grief when Neptune backs up through Pisces from October 22 to December 10.
Aries horoscopes, read more!
Taurus (Apr 19-May 20) Neptune retrograde horoscope
On July 4, mystical Neptune turns retrograde in Aries and your introspective twelfth house. Between now and December 10, you have permission to rest, reflect, and reconnect with your inner compass—especially if you’ve been running on autopilot. Creative visions and meaningful friendships could re-emerge when Neptune slips back into Pisces from October 22 to December 10. The key? You need to slow down enough to notice them.
Taurus horoscopes, read more!
Gemini (May 20-Jun 20) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Mystical Neptune pivots retrograde in Aries and your collaborative eleventh house on July 4. Between now and December 10, you may find yourself rethinking your role in the world and how authentically you’re showing up. Are your personal ambitions in sync with your larger mission? You’ll have a chance to realign when Neptune drifts back into Pisces and your career zone from October 22 to December 10.
Gemini horoscopes, read more!
Cancer (Jun 20-Jul 22) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Ethereal Neptune turns retrograde in Aries and your ambitious tenth house on July 4, giving you the strength to tackle some challenging feelings. Between now and December 10, your goals may feel less defined, but that’s by Neptune’s design. Let intuition lead where logic can’t. Is your path still aligned with your higher calling—or is it time to pivot? When Neptune slips into Pisces from October 22 to December 10, you might go back to school or take a bucket-list odyssey that helps you find clarity.
Cancer horoscopes, read more!
Leo (Jul 22-Aug 22) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Mystical Neptune spins retrograde in Aries and your expansive ninth house on July 4, urging you to explore beliefs, philosophies, and far-off dreams that may have faded from view. Through December 10, your thirst for adventure could be as much of an inside job as it is a desire to see the world. When Neptune slips into Pisces and your intimate eighth house from October 22 to December 10, emotional entanglements and unprocessed grief may surface for deep healing. Give your feelings the airtime they deserve.
Leo horoscopes, read more!
Virgo (Aug 22-Sep 22) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Mystical Neptune turns retrograde in Aries and your intense eighth house on July 4, inviting you to examine trust, intimacy, and the unspoken dynamics in close relationships. Between now December 10, this backspin could unearth buried feelings or desires that need processing. When Neptune backs into Pisces and your seventh house relationship zone from October 22 to December 10, focus shifts to your partnerships—past, present, or future. What does it truly mean to build emotional safety? You have five months to redefine that for 2025 you.
Virgo horoscopes, read more!
Libra (Sep 22-Oct 22) Neptune retrograde horoscope
How do you show up for your closest connections? That question will be on your mind while Neptune is retrograde in Aries, putting the focus on your seventh house of partnerships. While this cycle wages on from July 4 to October 22, old patterns around trust, boundaries, and emotional enmeshment may resurface. When Neptune backs into Pisces and your healing sixth house from October 22 to December 10, the emphasis shifts to emotional self-care. Five months from now, you’ll know exactly what you need to truly feel supported, body and soul.
Libra horoscopes, read more!
Scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21) Neptune retrograde horoscope
The stars invite you to slow down July 4 as Neptune turns retrograde in Aries and your wellness-driven sixth house, bringing your attention to routines, boundaries, and burnout. During the next five months, it’s less about pushing forward and more about healing from the inside out. When Neptune drifts back into Pisces and your passionate fifth house from October 22 to December 10, dormant desires and creative longings could stir back to life. Turn those epiphanies into art!
Scorpio horoscopes, read more!
Sagittarius (Nov 21-Dec 21) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Psyche-stirring Neptune turns retrograde in Aries and your expressive fifth house on July 4. Reflections around love, creativity, and personal fulfillment are impossible to shoo away. While this backspin unspools between now and December 10, you might revisit an old passion or unpack unresolved feelings in matters of the heart. When Neptune slips into Pisces and your emotional fourth house from October 22 to December 10, family patterns or your relationship to “home” could come into sharper focus.
Sagittarius horoscopes, read more!
Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 19) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Mystical Neptune spins retrograde in Aries and your private fourth house starting July 4. Over the next five months, you may have some soulful epiphanies around home, family, and the best direction for your personal life. Make time to process memories and reconnect with parts of yourself that may have gone quiet. When Neptune backs into Pisces and your thoughtful third house from October 22 to December 10, old stories—and the way you tell them—might be ripe for a rewrite.
Capricorn horoscopes, read more!
Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Your mind may be buzzing this weekend, but what’s your inner voice actually trying to get across? With nostalgic Neptune turning retrograde in Aries and your third house of communication on July 4, past habits are up for review. Are you revealing enough of yourself to make a legit connection or holding people at arm’s length? Conversations could take a vulnerable turn over the coming five months, especially around feelings you’ve glossed over.
When Neptune backs into Pisces and your sensual second house from October 22 to December 10, themes around self-worth and emotional security may come into focus. If you don’t value yourself, Aquarius, how will others know how to treat you?
Aquarius horoscopes, read more!
Pisces (Feb 18-Mar 20) Neptune retrograde horoscope
Your relationship with yourself is front and center starting July 4. Your ruling planet, Neptune, turns retrograde in Aries and your second house of self-worth, inviting a deep review of how you value your time, energy, and emotions. Through December 10, you may be drawn to shed old insecurities and rebuild your confidence from the inside out. When Neptune returns to Pisces and your identity zone from October 22 to December 10—its final backspin through your sign for another 165 years!—you’ll have a rare chance to reclaim forgotten parts of yourself.
Pisces horoscopes, read more!
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